Apparatus for heat treating containers



y 1965 s. A. MENcAccl 3,181,692

APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATING CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 19, 1963 INVENTOR SAMUEL A. MENGAGGI BY A7 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,181,692 APPARATUS FOR HEAT TREATING CQNTADJERS Samuel A. Mencacci, St. NlCGlaS-WHfiS, Belgium, assignor to International Machinery Corporation S.A., St. Nicolas-Wares, Belgium, a corporation of Belgium Filed Feb. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 259,527 10 Claims. ((31. 1.98-211) The present invention pertains to apapratus for heat treating containers, and more particularly relates to an improved carrier for conveying containers, such as cans of food, through a cooker or cooler.

Heretofore, .the well known reel and spiral type of cookers and coolers have not been capable of satisfactorily handling cylindrical containers which may vary greatly in diameter, because the containers, especially the smaller containers, are free to shift in the carriers during rotation of the reel and collide with considerable force against the walls of the carrier and with the spiral tracks which surround the reel. This abrupt contact of the containers against'its confining walls not only damages the containers but also excessively agitates the product in the containers which, depending upon the product in the container, sometimes lowers the quality of the product and reduces customer acceptance thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat treating apparatus capable of gently handling containers of different sizes and for controlling the degree of agitation of the contents of the container.

Another object is to provide an improved carrier for a heat treatment apparatus of the reel and spiral type.

Another object is to provide a heat treatment apparatus having a reel mounted eccentrically relative to the surrounding shell.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective of a portion of a reel and spiral type heat treatment apparatus particularly showing the discharge end thereof with an end plate removed, certain parts being cut away and other parts being shown in section.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the carriers employed in the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken along lines 44 of FIGURE 2 showing a portion of the spiral which extends across the upper half of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of a modified form of a container carrier which is used when super agitation is required.

FIGURE 6 is an end elevation showing conventional, angle-type container carriers used with the well known reel and spiral type of cooker or cooler.

FIGURE 7 is an end elevation of a third embodiment of the container carrier of the present invention.

The heat treatment apparatus 10 (FIG. 1) of the present invention is of the well known reel and spiral type and may either be a pressure type cooker or cooler as shown in FIGURE 1 or an atmospheric type cooker or cooler. The heat treatment apparatus 10 comprises a reel 11 which is continuously driven in a clockwise direction as indicated by the arrows A in FIGURES 1 and 2. The reel 11 is journalled in end Walls (not shown) of a housing 12 which includes a cylindrical shell 13. A T- shaped spiral track 14 is secured to the inner surface of the shell 13 and extends throughout the entire length of the shell. Containers C are fed into the housing 12, one

at a time, between adjacent runs of the spiral track 14 by "ice means of a continuously driven feed valve 16 (FIG. 1). The containers are received in elongated carriers 17 which extend the full length of the housing 12 and are equally spaced along the outer periphery of the reel 11 of which they are a part. The containers are advanced longitudinally of the reel in the direction of arrow B by the continuously rotating reel between adjacent runs of the spiral track 14 which causes the containers to be moved longitudinally of the axis of the reel 11. In this way the containers are moved spirally within the shell to a continuously driven discharge valve 18 which includes a pocketed rotor 19 and is arranged to discharge the processed containers from the heat treatment apparatus 10. The apparatus 10 may be of the type disclosed in the patent to Wilbur 2,536,116 and reference may be had to said patent for a more complete description of any part of the mechanism that is not described in detail herein.

More particularly, and in accordance with the present invention, the reel 11 is mounted for rotation about an axis D (FIG. 2) which is disposed between and below and parallel to the axis D about which the cylindrical shell 13 is generated. Accordingly, the reel 11 is mounted eccentrically relative to the cylindrical shell 13 and relative to the spiral 14 which is concentric with the shell. This eccentric relationship between the reel 11 and the shell 13 permits the distal ends 21 of the carriers 17 to be positioned closer to the lower half of the shell 13 than to the upper half thereof. During the time the containers are moving past the lower half of the shell, they gravitate radially outward and roll along the inner surfaces of the spiral base flanges 22 of adjacent runs of the spiral track 14, which base flanges are welded to the inner surface of the cylindrical shell 13. This eccentric mounting of the reel 11 aids in gently handling containers which may vary considerably in diameter, as indicated by the cans C1 and C2 in FIGURE 2. The eccentric mounting also aids in attaining more effective pushing of the containers upwardly along the left side (FIG. 2) of the spiral track 14, since the carriers 17 contact the containers at lower points on their peripheries than is possible with a reel that is concentric with the shell.

The carriers 1'7, which are designed to handle containers filled with products which require a normal or average amount of agitation, are mounted at equal intervals around the periphery 23 of the reel 11 as by welding. Each carrier 17 includes a concave container-supporting surface 24, a convex container-pushing surface 26 which terminates in the above-mentioned distal end 21, and a short upstanding mounting leg 27. It will be noted that the carriers 17 are mounted on the periphery of the reel in such a way that the distal ends 21 extend radially outward from the periphery 23 approximately three times as far as do the short mounting legs 27. Also, adjacent carriers cooperate to define a plurality of compound arcuate container-constraining pockets 29, each of which eifects a gentle transfer of the containers from a position in rolling contact with the base flanges of the spiral track 14 to a position wherein the containers are supported solely in the pocket 29. This construction also makes it possible to control the amount of agitation imparted to the containers as they are moved around the upper portion of the cylindrical shell 13, as will be made apparent hereinafter.

Since it is desirable that the distal ends 21 of the carriers 17 move along closely adjacent the base flanges 22 of the spiral track 14 as the carriers are moved through the lower half of their travel, the radially-extending web 31 (FIG. 4) of the spiral track 14 is made slightly shallower than normal in radial dimension in this lower half of the cylindrical shell 13. Because the reel 11 is eccentric relative to the cylindrical shell 13, the upper half of the web 31 of the spiral 14 has a radial dimension slightly greater than its lower half to compensate for'this eccentricity.

The carriers 17 are designed for use with containers 7 filled with productswhich require an average amount of gentle agitation; When it is desired to process containers having a product therein Whichirequires a high'de gre'e of agitation'for best cooking or cooling results, a modified seriesof Ll-shaped carriers'36; (FIG. arev secured to the reel 11 in place of the,aforementionedfcarrier' 1'7? Itwill be-appreciated that the U-shaped carriers 36 will add agitation to the containers since the containers positioned therein will not only roll along'the base flanges 22 of the spiral track 14 during the lower, half of their travel through the shell 13, but will also gently rock' back and forth in their carriers'36 asthe U-shaped car; riers move around the upperxhal-f of the reel 11.

If it should be desired to process containers-which require less agitation than hereinabove mentioned, carriers 17' similar to the carriers'17 but having a lobe 37 (FIG, 7) extending throughout its length maybe placed around the periphery of the reel 11'. The lobe 37 prevents rocking of the containers in the, carriers as the carriers 7 are moved throughout the upper half of their travel within the shell 13. j V v V Since the snbject heat treatment apparatus of the present invention defines animprovement over the usual spiral and reel typeapparatus which uses L-shapedcar riers 38 as shown in FIGURE 6, thedescription of the" the radial dimension of aisi eea u of gravityagainst the base flanges 22 of the associated coils of the reelfllj The container then rollsabout its own axis along the associated base flanges 22 as it is moved downwardly toward the bottom of the housing at whichtirne its motion is restricted by'the concave surface 24 at the distal ,end 21 of its supporting carrier 17; When, the container reaches its"lowerinostposition as indicatedat G in FIGURE 2,' the distal end 21 of the next following. carrier 17 moves into engagement with the 'container and pushes .it upwardly toward the position E,'.,While permitting the containerf'to continue its ,rolling motion againsfthe;associated"'basefianges 22 Thus, ,the contents of the container are gently agitated operation to follow will include a comparison of the' I subject apparatus utilizing the carriers;17 or 36, with the well known type of'apparatus using the L-shaped carriers 38. a

It will be appreciated that containers, especially the smaller containers, being moved in a clockwise direction (FIG. 2) upwardly along the base portions 22 of the spiral track 14 by the usual'L-shaped carriers 38 will 7 eventualy reach a transfer position at approximately E throughout the entire 'lowenportion of its travel from positionFto positionEf. ,5 z i L i g As the container approache'siposition E, its center-of gravity will shift and the container will gradually 'rnove inwardly towardfithe axis D of the reel 11 until it moves inwardly of the: distal end -21 of the supportingcarrier 17.. At this time the container'will graduallyuroll over the convex surface 26 of its supporting carrier and will roll inwardly within. the compound arcuate pocket 29vdefined by this convex surface and, the concave surface 24 of the carrier position therea-bove. Since the container does not contact a fiat surface -jas it moves into the Pocket 29 but contacts the concave surface 24 of the associated carrier 17, its inward motion is..not abruptly terminated but is-gently stopped by the tendency of the container to climb upwardlyv along this curved surface. It will be noted that .a gap is formed in the arcuate container support surface that is defined between the convex exterior surface 26 of one carrier and the concave interior surface 24 of the next adjacent carrier. During continued upward movement of the container past the position E,

' the container will pass over this gap which will tend to hold the container from rolling within the pocket 29 until the container a'pproaches'its uppermost position. It

in FIGURE 2 where the containers will 'rnover radially inwardly from engagement with the base flanges 22' to positions engaging the bases 39 of the associated L -shaped carriers. Since the bases of the L-shaped carriers will, at this point, present a fiat abutting surface against which the containers will collide when roling 'from' the base flanges 22 inwardly, the resulting impact forces acting on the containers, will 'be quite large. Also, as the L- shaped carriers, with the container supported thereon,

move through the upper half of their travel and approach a transfer position F, the container ,will abruptly gravitate willualso be appreciated that, during this time, the contents of the container'are not being agitated since the container is -held from rotation about its own axis. As the container continues itsmovement'from its uppermost position downwardly toward the position'F, the container will move away fromthe iconvex surface 26 and will gently rock within and gr sdually move outwardly along the concave surface" 24 of its supporting carrier 17 toward'the distalend 21, thereby completing one revolution within the cylindrical shell 13. During this revolution it will be understood that the spiral 14 advances the radially outwardly from the L-shaped carriers 38 against the base flanges 22 of the spiral track 14, At this time, 1

each container will roll'directly froma point adjacent the apex of the supportingLshaped'carriers until it" abruptly-contacts the'base portion at transfer position E and, accordingly, will contact this portion with a substantial force. "Thus, it will be seen that/the :L-shaped carrierswill cause considerable impact forces to ube directed against the containers at both position F.

1 In accordance with desired to process containers having products therein which requirean average amount ofragitation, the containers are moved into the heat treatment apparatus '10, having the carriers- 17 disposed on'the periphery of'the,

continuously driven reel 11. The, containers areufed into the apparatus 10 through the feed valves 16 in the usual manner and are received'within the concave container supporting surfaces 24 of, the carriers 17' positioned i therebelow; As' the reel 11 continues its movement in Va'clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2, each container moves, downwardly along the right side of the cylinder 13 and gradually, rolls downward within the conposition E and I the present invention, when container a predetermined distance longitudinally of'the reel toward the discharge valve 18. It will be appre elated that a limited arnountfof agitation is imparted to, the container while it is moving between its uppermost position and position F, since it will gently roll within the concave surface until such timeas it moves outcave surface 24 toward the distalend 21 of its supporting 7 carrier 17,, As the carriertapproaches transfer position j F, the container which at' this time'is supported bythe j' distal end 21, .gently rolls'outw'ardly "under the influ'ence adjacent their uppermost positions;

wardly over the distalend 21 against the associated flanges 22 of the spiral 14. J a a Itwill be seen, therefore, that the carrier 17 -is ideally suited for handling containers having products therein which require a normal or average'amo'unt of agitation andflthat the shape of the conipound'arcuate' pockets 29 positively prevents 1 agitation of thecontainers during the time the containers aremo'ved from position E to a point 7 V It will further be notedthat the containerswill gently. move outwardly against theassociat'ed base flanges 22 at transferfiposi-l o tion 'and'will' gentlymove inwardly against the concave surface 24 of an associated carrier 17v. at transfer position E thereby substantially eliminating fi e, objectionable impact forces att-these points which occuir when the wellknown angle ;.iron carriers of FIGURE 6-are employed.

- If it 'is desired-to process a, product requiring a cons derable amount, of gentle agitation, the cans containing *this product, are; fed into a heat treatment apparatus whichemploys the U-shaped; carriers 36' shown in FIG- :URE 6. 'Iihe operation ofan apparatus.employingthe U-shaped carriers 36 will be the same as that of an apparatus employing the carriers 17 except during that portion of the travel of the carriers 36 from position E upwardly to their uppermost position. Each container is pushed upwardly along the associated base flange 22 on the left side 'FIG. 2) of the apparatus 16 by the .distal'end of the trailing leg of the associated carrier 36 until the carrier and container are moved past position E I at which time the container moves inwardly from the base flanges 22 into the concave surface of the associated carrier 36. During the upward movement of the carrier and container therein from position E to their uppermost positions, the container is free to gently roll back and forth within its supporting concave surface thereby gently agitating the material within the container. This agitation continues as the container moves downwardly from its uppermost position to the transfer position F on the right side of the apparatus.

Accordingly, when the U-shaped carriers 36 are used, the contents of the containers are agitated throughout their entire travel through the heat treatment apparatus 10. It will also be appreciated that the small containers are subjected to a greater amount of agitation than the large containers since they will rotate faster when in contact with the base flanges 22, and since they will roll back and forth more freely when supported within the concave surface of the associated carrier 36.

If it is desired to process containers which require less agitation than either of the above referred to carriers will permit, carriers having lobes 37 (FIG. 7) formed therein are used. It will be appreciated that each container will become positioned on one side or the other of the lobe and, accordingly, the lobe 37 will prevent rocking of the containers within the carriers as the carriers are moving through the upper half of the shell.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the heat treatment apparatus 10 of the present invention employs carriers which are specifically designed to control the degree of agitation of the containers while they are being treated. The carriers are designed to reduce the impact forces acting on the containers when they shift position in the carriers due to rotation of the reel and as a result, container damage and agitation of the contents of the container is controlled. The eccentrically mounted reel 11 and its cooperative relationship with the spiral web 31. of variable thickness also adapts the heat treatment apparatus 10 to handle cylindrical containers which may vary considerably in diameter.

While two embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In a heat treatment apparatus, a horizontally disposed reel, a plurality of carriers on said reel for supporting containers, and a spiral track surrounding and spaced from said reel for advancing the containers longitudinally of said reel, each of said carriers having a concave and a convex surface terminating at a distal end disposed closely adjacent said spiral track and cooperating with adjacent carriers to define a plurality of discontinuous pockets of compound arcuate from, said compound arcuate pockets being adapted to effect a gentle transfer of the containers between a position wherein they are solely supported by said carriers to positions wherein they are partly supported by said spiral track.

2. In a heat treatment apparatus, a continuously d-riven horizontally disposed reel, a plurality of carriers on said reel for supporting containers therein, and a spiral track surrounding and spaced from said reel for advancing the containers longitudinally of said reel, each of said carriers having a concave and a convex surface terminating at a distal end disposed closely adjacent said spiral track and cooperating with adjacent carriers to define a plurality of pockets of compound arcuate form, each of said compound arcuate pockets being adapted to support a container on said concave surface as said pocket moves downwardly causing the container therein to gradually roll on said concave surface outwardly to said distal end and then roll into contact with said spiral track, said convex being arranged to partially support the container as said pocket is moved upwardly to subsequently lift the container to a position wherein it will roll away from said track and against said concave surface of said pocket.

3. In a heat treatment apparatus, a continuously driven horizontally disposed reel mounted for rotation about a first axis, a plurality of U-shaped carriers on said reel for supporting containers therein, and a spiral track surrounding and spaced from said reel for advancing the containers longitudinally of said reel incident to rotation of said reel, said spiral track being generated about a second axis which is disposed parallel to and above said first axis, each of said carriers having a distal end disposed closely adjacent said spiral track for gently transferring the containers between a position wherein they are solely supported by said carriers to positions wherein they are partially supported by said spiral track, said U-shaped carriers being arranged to agitate said containers during substantially their entire travel with said reel.

4. In a heat treatment apparatus, a continuously driven horizontally disposed reel, a plurality of carriers on said reel for supporting containers therein, and a spiral track surrounding and spaced from said reel for advancing the containers longitudinally of said reel, each of said carriers having a longitudinally extending concave surface interrupted by a longitudinally extending convex lobe, said concave surface of one carriers cooperating with a convex surface of another carrier to define a pocket of compound arcuate form with a lobe therein, said compound arcuate pocket being adapted to effect a gentle transfer of the containers between a position wherein they are solely supported by said carriers to a position where they are partially supported by said carriers, said lobe preventing agitation of said containers during a portion of the movement of said reel.

5. In a heat treatment apparatus, a generally cylindrical enclosure, a reel mounted for rotation (within said enclosure, a plurality of carriers mounted on the periphery of said reel between said reel and the inner surface of said enclosure, each carrier having a concave container support surface facing the inner surface of said enclosure, said surface being formed by a central portion disposed close to said reel, a relatively long support arm on one side of said central portion and providing an end disposed close to said inner surface, and a relatively short arm on the opposite side of said central portion, said short arm cooperating with the long arm of the adjacent carrier to define a container support adapted to restrict rolling movement of a container thereover.

6. In a heat treatment apparatus, a generally cylindrical enclosure, a reel mounted for rotation in said enclosure and including a plurality of container-receiving pockets on the periphery of said reel, each pocket having an arcuate container support surface defined by a first carrier member having an arcuate support surface forming one side of the pocket and a second carrier member spaced from said first member and cooperating with a portion of said first member to define the opposite side of the pocket, the spacing between said first and second members providing a gap in the support surface of the pocket so that the rolling movement of a container in said pocket will be restrained when the can is disposed over the gap.

7. In a heat treatment apparatus, a continuously driven horizontally disposed reel mounted for rotation about a first axis, a plurality of carriers on said reel for supporting containers therein, a spiral track surrounding and spaced from said reel, a Web of variable thickness included in said track and projecting inwardly a greater distance from the upper half of said track than e051 the 7 lower half for advancing the'containers longitudinally convex surface terminating in a distal end disposed closely adjacent said spiral 'track and cooperating 'with of said reel, said spiral track being generated about aiseca "ond'axis which is disposed parallel to and above said first axis, each'of said carriers having 'a concave and a i adjacent carriers to define a lplurality of pockets of compound arcuate form, eachof said compound arcuate} distal end then roll into contact with said jspiral track,

said convex surface being arranged to partially support containers longitudinally of said"reel incident to rotation of said reelfeach' of said carriers-having'a distal end the container'as said pocket is moved'upwardly' to subsequently lift the container to a positionwherein it will roll away from said track and against said concavesurface of said pocket. 7

8. In a heat treatment apparatusgacontinuously driven horizontally disposed reel mounted about a'-first axis, a

therein, and a spiral track surrounding and spaced from said reel,said spiral't-rack being generated about a second axis which is disposed parallel to and above said first axis, each of said carriers having a concave and a convex surface terminating in a distal end disposed closely adjacent said spiral track and cooperating with adjacent carriers to defined a plurality of pocketsof compound arcuate form, each of said compound arcuate pookets' being 'plu-rality of carriers on said reel for supporting containers *said reel for advancing the container longitudinally of fly lift fthe container to a position =Wherein it will roll away f rom said track andagainst the concave surface of said pocket. 7 -1 if; I I 9; r In a heat treatment apparatus,a continuously driven horizontally disposed re el mounted about a first axis, a

plurality of carriers onsaid reel for supporting containers therein,-and a spiral tra'clcsur'rounding'and spaced from said reel for advancing thecontainerlongitudinally of said 1 reel, Tsaid spiral track being generated about asecond axis which is disposed-paral1el to and a bove saidf'first axis.

10, Dr af'h eatf;treatment apparatus, a continuously 1 driven ghorizontally disposed reel rnounted for' rotation abouta first axisfa plurality of U-shaped carriers on said 'reelfifor supporting containers therein, and a spiral track surrounding and spaced from said feel; for advancing the disposed elosely'adjacent said spiral track for" gently'trans I ferring the containers between a position wherein 'they' are solely supported by said'carrier's to a position wherein being less than-the curvature of the'e xternal wall of thecoritainr whereby the containersare free to roll in the "carriers to agitatevthe contents of said containers during substantially their entire travel withsaid reel.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS SAMUEL F; COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM BLLA' Bonus, Examiner. v 

1. IN A HEAT TREATMENT APPARATUS, A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED REEL, A PLURALITY OF CARRIERS ON SAID REEL FOR SUPPORTING CONTAINERS, AND A SPIRAL TRACK SURROUNDING AND SPACED FROM SAID REEL FOR ADVANCING THE CONTAINERS LONGITUDINALLY OF SAID REEL, EACH OF SAID CARRIERS HAVING A CONCAVE AND A CONVEX SURFACE TERMINATING AT A DISTAL END DISPOSED CLOSELY ADJACENT SAID SPIRAL TRACK AND COOPERATING WITH ADJACENT CARRIERS TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF DISCONTINUOUS POCKETS OF COMPOUND ARCUATE FROM, SAID COMPOUND ARCUATE POCKETS BEING ADAPTED TO EFFECT A GENTLE TRANSFER OF THE CONTAINERS BETWEEN A POSITION WHEREIN THEY ARE SOLELY SUPPORTED BY SAID CARRIERS TO POSITIONS WHEREIN THEY ARE PARTLY SUPPORTED BY SAID SPIRAL TRACK. 